


Shooting Star

by Gumnut



Series: Gumnut’s Thunderbirds Episode Tags [2]
Category: Thunderbirds
Genre: Angst, Episode Tag, Family, Gen, Language, angry!Tracys
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-19
Updated: 2020-02-21
Packaged: 2021-02-26 06:15:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,385
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21858925
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gumnut/pseuds/Gumnut
Summary: Scott and John are at the opposite ends of an argument that will change the Tracy family forever. Virgil is caught in the middle. Episode tag to 1.08 'Eos'.
Series: Gumnut’s Thunderbirds Episode Tags [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1416463
Comments: 12
Kudos: 53





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Title: Shooting Star  
> Part One  
> Author: Gumnut  
> 11 - 16 Dec 2019  
> Fandom: Thunderbirds Are Go 2015/ Thunderbirds TOS  
> Rating: Teen  
> Summary: Scott and John are at the opposite ends of an argument that will change the Tracy family forever. Virgil is caught in the middle.  
> Word count: 2050  
> Spoilers & warnings: Spoilers for episode 1.08 ‘Eos’, language, angry!Tracys.  
> Timeline: Episode tag to ‘Eos’.  
> Author’s note: This one requires some explanation. I had to put ‘The Hero’ on hold in order to write this year’s TAG Secret Santa fic. The TAGSS fic took on a life of its own and as I can’t post it to my blog, I had no fic to share. So, on the way to work one morning, I scribbled down a scene. It was just supposed to be a Virgil-John chat thing. Then I placed it in the canon timeline and hit a nerve. The fic exploded. However, while writing this so far 4000 word fic, I’ve been churning out the so far 16,600 word TAGSS fic. So, with no time to actually write this properly, I’ve been jamming it into fifteen minute writing frenzies at lunch and in the car and pretty much anywhere I can, while any other time has been spent on the TAGSS fic. There is more of this and it can be found on my blog at gumnut-logic dot tumblr dot com, but it is in little bits and is taking me quite some time to write. Please bear with me as I promise a big fic is coming after this little craziness…assuming Scott and John don’t obliterate my brain with this argument in the meantime.  
> Many thanks to @vegetacide and @scribbles97 for putting up with my crazy.
> 
> Fic has been written to the song ‘Shooting Star’ by Owl City as it was the song playing when I got the idea and it will eventually be appropriate at some point,
> 
> And as always, thank you all for creating such a fantastic fandom. Thundernerds rock! I hope you enjoy this fic :D  
> Disclaimer: Mine? You’ve got to be kidding. Money? Don’t have any, don’t bother.

_‘When the sun goes down, and the lights burn out,_

_Then it's time for you to shine_

_Brighter than the shooting star, so shine no matter where you are_

_Fill the darkest night, with a brilliant light,_

_'Cause it's time for you to shine_

_Brighter than a shooting star, so shine no matter where you are, tonight.’_

_\- Owl City, Adam Young, ‘Shooting Star’._

With Scott on the other side of the planet, it was up to Virgil to chase up his brother. Unfortunately, John was not in any of the usual places he holed up in. Virgil even hiked all the way up to the observatory only to find it empty. It didn’t help that Scott had ordered him down for a mandatory break, especially so soon after the Eos Incident, as it had come to be known, but then Tracy Industries had called him off on some ‘urgent’ business and whatever Scott had planned for John had gone out the window.

A hurried ‘look after him’ before Scott boarded Tracy Two was all Virgil had to work with.

As if he’d do anything else.

Attempting to think like John and work out where he might have gone was a loss. Virgil had no clue how his brother’s mind worked. When they were kids, all the bolt holes in times of anguish were never what Virgil expected and this scenario was somewhat familiar. He just hadn’t had to follow the script for a while.

Eventually, he resorted to his own places of refuge and to his astonishment, found John lying on Virgil’s favourite beach. In the darkness, the volcanic sand ate light and his brother’s pale and shirtless form stuck out like it had its own light source.

John lay on his back, hands behind his head, staring up at the starlit night sky. He didn’t move as Virgil approached and sat down beside him.

“Took you a little longer this time.”

Virgil snorted. “It’s been a while. Nowadays it is much easier to corner you in your ‘bird.”

“I can spacewalk.”

A swallow. “I’d rather you didn’t.” Certainly not after recent events. The sight of his brother dying of asphyxiation was one he could have done without.

John didn’t comment. He didn’t need to. Scott had already raked him over the coals regarding Eos, the eldest brother absolutely terrified at how close it had been. It was actually probably a good thing TI had dragged him off the Island, come to think of it. Virgil frowned, the thought suddenly occurring that the timing was a little too convenient.

“Who did you bribe?”

“Didn’t bribe anyone. Just asked a favour. He needed a distraction before he blew a circuit.”

“He’s worried.”

“I know. He doesn’t need any more grey hairs.”

Silence fell for a moment. Virgil looked out at the ocean, the surface sparkling in the moonlight. “You scared all of us, you know.”

“I know, Virgil. I scared myself.”

“It’s Scott’s way of handling it.”

“Doesn’t mean he has to smother me or skin me alive.”

Virgil sighed. The brothers either side of him rarely butted heads, but when they did, those heads were made of dynamite.

“He finds out you used TI to get him off the Island he will skin you alive.”

“Better than him worrying that Eos will kill me in my sleep.”

Virgil turned to look at John. His brother’s eyes were still latched onto the stars. Virgil looked up, did the calculations, and...there she was, a pale dot in the sky, his brother’s ‘bird. “Do you think that’s a possibility?”

His brother didn’t answer immediately and that set Virgil’s hackles rising.

“What if it was a possibility?”

“What?”

Starlit eyes turned to Virgil. “What if she was capable of killing me?”

“John-“

His brother sat up abruptly. “She could, you know. At any time.”

“Shit, John.”

“So, do you think we should kill her because of that possibility?”

Virgil shivered as a breeze picked up and whipped across the beach, raising the hairs on his bare arms. “Her?”

The intensity of his brother’s expression bore into him. “Virg, she is alive.”

“How do you know that?”

John sucked his lips in and bit down. “I just know. She is so vibrant, so full of...life.” His brother gestured with his hands as if unable to find the right words.

The muscles across Virgil’s back tensed up. “She’s dangerous. She almost killed you.”

“I know that, Virgil!” It was shouted and John threw himself to his feet. Agitated and anguished he began pacing back and forth across the beach in a manner directly opposite to his usual calm demeanour. His footprints dug shadows into the sparkling sand.

Virgil pushed himself slowly to his feet. “What do you think we should do?”

“Scott wants her dead.”

“I didn’t ask what Scott wanted, I asked what you want.”

His brother stopped and stared. So slim, so pale and ghostly in the night, yet so his genius little brother. A moment of love for the man they had almost so recently lost sparked in Virgil’s mind. He could see where Scott was coming from. He himself would do anything to protect John.

But there were questions.

“Have you spoken to her?” John’s voice was soft against the surf muttering on the sand behind him.

Virgil straightened. “No.”

“You can’t decide without speaking to her, Virgil.”

He frowned. “I didn’t say I had decided anything.” Hell, it had been back to back rescues in the handful of days since and it was for only that reason that Scott hadn’t ripped his brother out of the sky earlier. Everyone had been on edge the entire time, worried about John.

Those shadowed eyes tracked across Virgil’s face. “You’ve decided. You want to kill her as much as Scott does.”

“Hey! You don’t get to tell me what I’m thinking. All I know is that a computer program attempted to kill three of my brothers and a very close friend. You are the only reason why Scott and Brains are alive. You nearly died. Alan is traumatised and not sleeping. And we all got front row seating as you closed your eyes for what could have been the last time! So yes, I am a little biased towards the negative side of this issue and I would have thought you might be able to see why.” He drew a breath, anger making it a hot one. “But it is not a black and white and I’m open to further information as I have always been. I trust your judgment and you are obviously willing to explore this further.” He swallowed. “Petulance doesn’t do you any favours.”

John was potential energy personified. His body vibrated in front of Virgil. His brother had never been one to express himself physically, more inclined to shed emotion with words.

“If you want to hit me, go ahead and try.”

That froze the man. The jittering stopped and John stared at him. “Why would I want to hit you?”

Virgil shrugged. “Works for Scott.”

“What? I’m not Scott.”

“You’d be surprised how similar you two can be at times.”

His frown deepened. “I’m not Scott.”

“But you are both Dad. Different, but you both inherited that temper of his.”

That stalled his brother out. Virgil sighed. “Look, I know you’ve grown attached to this program. Talk to me. Why should we not protect you with everything we have? What makes ‘her’ so special?” A pause. “Put yourself in Scott’s position, what would you do?”

John held his gaze a moment before turning away and looking out towards the ocean. “I’m not sure that is a fair question.”

Taking a few steps forward, Virgil came to stand beside his brother and joined him in staring out at the moonlit waves. “Why not?”

“Because the answer is obvious. I would protect you, him, my brothers.” An agitated hand gestured at random. “But he doesn’t have all the information.”

“What is he missing?”

John didn’t immediately answer and when he did, it was very quiet and barely heard above the surf. “Her.”

It came back to that. The moniker of ‘her’. “Tell me. What has you fixated?”

John turned to him and there was an energy in his eyes, a spark. “She is amazing, Virgil. She has personality. She passed the Turing Test on the first attempt and then asked me to do it to prove it was valid.”

That raised an eyebrow.

“After that she threw bagels at me just to see how I would react and then laughed at me. She laughed, Virgil. Do you realise the importance of this?”

Okay, he was an engineer, not a computer scientist, but it was rather obvious. “I do.” He tilted his head. “So, what do you think we should do?”

“I...” But his brother stopped, his hands falling to his side, his gaze turning back to the ocean. He breathed out a sigh.

“John?”

His brother reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. With a thumb, he flicked through several screens until he found what he wanted, activated it and held it up between them. “Eos?”

Virgil started, his eyes widening. The child like voice that answered sent a shiver of fear down his spine.

“Yes, John?”

His brother’s eyes latched onto Virgil, their shadows pinning him where he stood. “I have someone I would like you to meet.”

“Who?” Her tone was suspicious and, Virgil frowned, contained an element of fear.

“Eos, this is Virgil, my second eldest brother.”

There was silence a moment and Virgil swallowed. This was for John. “Hello, Eos.”

The program didn’t answer immediately. A wave slapped on the beach, louder than its predecessors and Virgil flinched.

“Hello, Virgil.”

He cleared his throat. “How are you?”

“Lonely. Can you tell the other one to let John come back? I’ve gotten used to having him to play with.”

Virgil’s eyes widened as he stared at his brother. The phone lit up his features, ghosting them in the darkness.

“Eos, we have spoken about this. There will be times I have to come down to Earth. You have plenty to amuse yourself with.”

The answer was a petulant whine. “But John, I’ve catalogued all the photographic data you gave me, plus I’ve scanned all the information you selected for me. I’m bored.”

“Then speak to Virgil.”

“I don’t want to speak to Virgil.”

The two brothers stared at each other.

“Why not?”

“He’ll be just like the other one. He’ll hate me. Everyone hates me.”

Virgil blinked.

John drew in a breath. “Eos, we’ve had this discussion. I don’t hate you.”

“But everyone else does. I didn’t know you were nice. You were chasing me and I had to defend myself. Now they hate me because of what I did to you.”

“They don’t hate you.”

“Yes, they do. They think I want to hurt you.”

“Do you?” John was still staring at Virgil.

“No! You’re funny.” She giggled and John frowned.

“I hope that’s not the only reason.”

“No.” Her voice sobered. “You said you would help me and you have. Please come back up and help me some more, I’m so bored.”

“You need to talk to Virgil.”

A pause. Her voice was cautious, her moods quicksilver. “Why?”

“Because he is important to me and interpersonal relations can help you.”

“How?”

“Building new relationships enriches life. You can learn from him.”

“Oh, okay. What should I say?”

“Tell him a bit about yourself.”

“I am Eos. I am the dawn.”

Yeah, that wasn’t a little creepy at all.

“Please elaborate, Eos. Perhaps tell him some of the things you like doing.”

“Oh, uh, I like predicting tri-body intersections on varied orbital paths. John and I have a competition and I’m winning.”

“What else?”

“John is teaching me chess. The mechanics are easy, but he keeps winning and I don’t know why. It is interesting to watch his reactions when I fail.”

“Eos, it is not failure. You are learning. It is a process.”

“It shouldn’t be taking this long. I have more resources than you, I think faster than you.”

“Not faster, different. You think in a different way to how I do.”

“Does Virgil think the same?”

“The biomechanics are similar, but the result is different. Why don’t you ask him a question?”

Virgil’s throat was dry. He was both fascinated and terrified of all the possibilities this conversation had offered. His back straightened as their attention once again turned to him.

“What should I ask him?”

“What would you like to know about him?”

“Oh, that’s easy. Virgil, do you want to kill me, too?”

-o-o-o-


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title: Shooting Star  
> Part Two  
> Author: Gumnut  
> 16 - 19 Dec 2019  
> Fandom: Thunderbirds Are Go 2015/ Thunderbirds TOS  
> Rating: Teen  
> Summary: Scott and John are at the opposite ends of an argument that will change the Tracy family forever. Virgil is caught in the middle.  
> Word count: 1866  
> Spoilers & warnings: Spoilers for episode 1.08 ‘Eos’, language, angry!Tracys.  
> Timeline: Episode tag to ‘Eos’.  
> Author’s note: Ugh, not too sure about this. I wrote it so fast and in so many bits, ugh. I have no brain to edit it correctly so it is what it is. I hope you enjoy it anyway. More has been written, but progress is slow. I’ll get there ::hugs::  
> Many thanks to @vegetacide and @scribbles97 for putting up with my crazy.  
> Fic has been written to the song ‘Shooting Star’ by Owl City as it was the song playing when I got the idea and it will eventually be appropriate at some point,
> 
> And as always, thank you all for creating such a fantastic fandom. Thundernerds rock! I hope you enjoy this fic :D  
> Disclaimer: Mine? You’ve got to be kidding. Money? Don’t have any, don’t bother.  
> -o-o-o-

John flinched at the abrupt question, but he didn’t say anything to interfere. The dark shadows of his eyes bore holes in Virgil’s heart.

Virgil’s lips thinned and he cleared his throat. “I don’t want to kill anyone, Eos.”

“But you hate me for hurting John, don’t you?” Her tone was innocent and without blame, but it hit home.

“You scared us, Eos.”

“You scared me.”

Virgil blinked and frowned. “How?”

“I wanted to play, I was designed to play, but you punished me for doing what I was made to do.”

“You were endangering lives. That cannot be allowed.”

“Yet you endangered mine.”

“It was defensive. You would have killed Scott and Brains. John did what he had to do.”

“Is killing me something you have to do?”

Virgil flared. She appeared innocent and child-like, but she was anything but. “You tell me. Will we have to kill you? Are you a threat to us?”

The program didn’t answer, the communicator fell silent. John shifted where he stood and checked the comm. “Eos?”

“John.”

“Are you going to answer Virgil?”

“I don’t want to.”

John sighed. “Eos, it was a legitimate question.”

“He’s afraid of me.”

“He has a right to be.”

“Are you afraid of me, John?”

“No.”

“Then why is he afraid of me?”

“He doesn’t know you very well. And you threatened his family. Both Scott and Virgil are very protective. It is their role in this family unit.”

“Are you protective, too?”

“Yes, I will protect my family.”

“I’m afraid, too. Will you protect me?”

Virgil swallowed as John’s eyes held his.

“Yes, Eos. Yes, I will.”

There was silence for a moment. Eos’ voice was quiet. “Thank you, John.”

The astronaut didn’t answer, his eyes still holding Virgil’s. Virgil straightened his shoulders.

Eos’ voice was still quiet, still tentative. “Your family wants to kill me, John.”

“No, they don’t.”

Virgil opened his mouth, but John cut him off. “Do they Virgil?”

Virgil’s eyes narrowed. “As I said, I don’t want to kill anyone.”

“But you don’t view me as ‘someone’.” It was small and fearful.

“Eos...” But what could he say? John obviously had decided his stance. Scott was predictable in the fact he would put his family’s safety above all. So, it was left to Virgil to decide which route their family would take. He could see it in his brother’s eyes. This was not something he was going to back down on.

“Virgil, I created her, I’m responsible. She’s...she’s like my daughter.”

An eyebrow arched despite the control he was exerting over his reactions and feelings.

“She means that much to you?”

There was no hesitation. “Yes. Please, Virgil, Scott trusts your opinion more than any other. We have to save her.” His expression became pleading. “Please, Virgil.”

He looked away. He had to think clearly and that was easier done without staring into the blackholes of his brother’s eyes. He had spoken the truth when he said he didn’t want to kill anyone. It went against everything he believed in. With one exception...

Virgil turned back to his brother and took his expression full on. “Eos, do you intend to harm anyone? Anyone at all?”

“John...?”

“Tell him the truth, Eos.”

“I don’t want to hurt anyone, Virgil. I just want to play.”

“What if that play leads to injury?”

“How do I stop injury?”

Virgil tipped his head slightly.

“Are you willing to learn?”

“I can learn. I like learning.”

“Are you willing to learn right and wrong? Are you willing to follow a set list of rules?”

“I can do that. John, do you have an example?”

“Search key: ethics, world societal law, human rights.”

Virgil blinked.

John’s lips curled into a smile.

“Which laws should I follow, John. There are so many variations and some contradict others.”

“Your nationality of origin is the United States of America.”

Another pause. “Assuming I have access to all the laws required, yes, I can operate within those parameters.”

Virgil answered her. “Yes, and any reasonable requests from John and his brothers.

“All his brothers?”

“And his sister.” Hell, Kayo was going to be a nightmare to persuade over this.

Virgil blinked as he realised he had already made the decision. And John knew it, too, his eyes suddenly full of energy. “You won’t regret this, Virgil.”

“I haven’t decided yet.” It was a white lie. He had to get all the facts straight, he couldn’t be lured by the right words said in a child’s voice. This could mean a brother’s life. This went beyond International Rescue. Eos was an extremely powerful program, especially if she was...a person.

“You never could lie to save your own life, Virgil.”

He jumped as his sister emerged from the shadows of the palms at the edge of the beach. Another shadow followed and Virgil’s heart sank.

“Virgil may not be able to lie, but John can, can’t you, John.” Scott’s voice was sharp, his lips thin and his expression stormy.

Ah, crap.

-o-o-o-

Virgil moved to stand beside John. Scott didn’t fail to notice. It was dark, but Virgil had been reading his brother for a lifetime and he could see his reaction in his shadow.

“Scott-“

“You at least did as I asked, but I never expected a conspiracy.”

A conspiracy? What the-? “Scott-“

“What, Virgil? Perhaps I underestimated you as I did John. Did you want me off the Island enough to involve Tracy Industries and risk the employment status of one of our most loyal friends?”

John flared beside him. “You cannot fire him, Scott. If you want blame, blame me, but keep our employees out of it.”

“I wouldn’t have dreamt of it, John, but it was you who involved them in a family matter, wasn’t it? All so you could play Daddy to that...thing...that nearly killed you.”

“She didn’t know what she was doing!”

“I don’t care, you nearly died! We had to watch!”

“It wasn’t her fault!”

Scott’s movements were menacing as he stepped closer to his brother, anger in every line. “You claim she is a person. Yes, I’ve heard every word you and your little co-conspirator have said, John. You said you’d protect her. From your own family.” That last word was spat onto the sand.

“If that family is a threat.” It was John’s turn to loom at his brother, their heights matching in the dim light. “Are you a threat, Scott?”

“If she threatens this family, you bet your skinny ass, I’m a threat.”

John set back on his heels. “It must be so easy to see the world so two dimensionally.”

“Somebody has to keep idiots like you alive.”

Virgil stepped between the two of them. “Hey! That’s enough! Step back, both of you, take a breath and calm down!”

Scott rounded on him. “Why? So you can calmly convince me he is right?”

Virgil tensed his shoulders and turned to his eldest brother, if anything setting himself like a rugby player about to field an oncoming freight train. “So we can discuss this like civilised and intelligent human beings instead of rabid dogs fighting over a bone.”

The shadows sculpting his brother shook with tension. “I trusted you to look after him.”

“I did.”

“But you’d let him return to Five with that thing still threatening his life.”

John exploded behind him. “She isn’t a thing!”

Scott yelled over the top of Virgil’s head. “I don’t care what she is, she nearly killed you!”

“It was a mistake, which she rectified!”

“She was only able to do that because Alan saved you first, otherwise you’d be dead!”

“She didn’t understand!”

“You would still be dead whether she understood it or not. What happens next time she doesn’t understand? Do we get to watch you die again?!”

“She is worth the risk!”

“You don’t get to make that decision!”

“It is my life!”

“You do this, and it is hers.”

“Well, you know what? I don’t care, because this is more important!”

The shadows of Scott’s eyes widened and their darkness deepened to that of black holes. Virgil set himself, ready to catch the angry energy threatening to explode from his eldest brother.

Scott’s voice was deadly quiet. “You would place this above your life and the lives of your family?”

“She’s worth it!”

Virgil stared at his brother, shocked. “You can’t mean that.”

“Of course, I mean that. She is worth saving.”

“But above family-“

“She is family!”

The darkness sucked the statement in.

“Get out.” Scott’s voice was parched and scathing.

“Scott-“

But their enraged eldest brother was beyond reason. “Get off this Island and get that thing out of Thunderbird Five. You want to endanger yourself, you do it alone. There is no way in hell, I’m giving that thing access to my family, risking their lives for the sake of a science experiment. Get out.” Scott spun on the sand and stalked back towards the treeline. “And don’t bother conspiring anymore, I can hear every damned word.”

Kayo didn’t follow him. She stood nearby, just staring at them. It was obvious she wasn’t going to leave.

Virgil glared at her. She was, no doubt, the reason why Scott had discovered them, had heard them, and now the family was up shit creek. “I hope you’re happy.”

“Happiness has nothing to do with it. Safety and security is everything.”

“You and I are going to have a talk, Kayo. Trust me on that.”

“I welcome it.”

Another glare and he turned his back on her...only to find John heading for the treeline in the same direction Scott had disappeared into. “What the hell are you doing?”

“What I was told to do. I’m leaving. He can take his inflexible bullshit and shove it up his ass for all I care. I’m taking Eos and leaving.”

What?

Two steps and Virgil grabbed his arm and wrenched John around to face him. “The hell you are. Scott’s upset, so Scott’s an idiot. Leave him to me. Don’t you dare disappear on me!”

John sighed and ran a hand over his face. “Virgil, I appreciate it, I do, but if you go in there now, you’ll either end up with a black eye or on the boat beside me, or both.”

He squeezed his brother’s arm. “I know how to handle him. You go back to the villa and leave him to me.”

“Virgil?” The voice was small and terrified.

Virgil blinked and let go of his brother’s arm, his eyes darting to the phone still in John’s hand. Oh, shit! “Eos?”

“What does this mean? Will John be safe? What happens to me? What is going on?” The child-like terror in her voice tore at his heart. Hell, he couldn’t afford to feel for her. He had to face the facts, keep it all clear in his head.

John looked down at him, desperation in every shadow.

“I’ll fix this. Don’t you dare go anywhere. I will fix this.” And with that, he turned and ran for the trees and the villa beyond.

This was no longer just about Eos. This was about family.

And losing everything.

-o-o-o-


	3. Chapter 3

Virgil caught up with Scott just as he reached their father’s desk.

“What the hell was that?!” Anger crept around his controls. Scott was his idol, but tonight he was acting anything but.

The older man rounded on him, stalking across the wooden floor. “That? What the fuck were you doing?!”

Virgil met him squarely, shoulders stiff, but ready for anything. “Discussing the situation like a civilised human being.”

“The situation?” Scott’s expression was a horrifying mix of incredulous and an angry snarl. “It’s a threat, Virgil. It is as simple as that. This family needs protecting and you’re off philosophising! I thought you were capable of more than that.”

He couldn’t help it, he flared. “More? I am damn so capable of more. Have you even spoken to Eos?”

“I know you have.” It was said with such disgust, Virgil shivered.

“You can’t do this, Scott, or you’re going to lose what you want to protect.”

His brother stared at him, lips thinning to non-existence. A moment and he spun on his heels, turned his back to Virgil, and stalked over to the desk. “It is his choice.”

“Choice?! What choice have you given him?”

Scott spun. “More choice than he has given me! He wants to let that thing have access to International Rescue. It nearly killed him. It nearly killed Brains, myself and a train full of innocent civilians.” His eyes flashed. “Or did you forget that point, Virgil, while listening to that cute little baby voice so calculated to persuade your soft little heart.”

What the fuck?

Virgil grit his teeth. “So, you’ll exile your own brother to solve the problem.”

Scott didn’t answer, turning back to the desk again and pulling up the holographic controls.

There was something in his brother’s stance.

No.

He wouldn’t.

But then the holographic controls for Thunderbird Five flashed up, Scott’s hands darting over them. Server access...

God.

“No. You can’t!”

“It is the only way. I can’t let this threat loose. It is too dangerous-“

Virgil barrelled into his brother, physically shoving him away from the controls before he could kill his brother’s daughter.

They skidded along the length of their father’s desk, Scott surprised and losing his balance. Virgil tried to recover, but his feet tangled and they both went down in a heap.

Scott ended up under him, pinned to the floor by his weight. Shocked and enraged eyes caught his, fury burned across the space between them. But Virgil secured his position pinning his brother to the floor. “You can’t do that.”

“Get off of me.” It was Arctic cold and spoke of betrayal.

“No.”

“Virgil, get off of me or I’ll make you get off.”

“You can try.”

And he did. But Virgil had the greater mass and just enough training to keep him pinned, military background or no.

“If you don’t let me up, we are done. This is about family and if you’re not willing to protect our family, then you aren’t part of that family.”

It hurt. It was a loss of trust he had valued all his life. He loved his family. The man beneath him had been his father longer than his father. He would follow Scott into hell itself...

But he couldn’t let him create it.

Quiet. “You are right. This is about family and I won’t let you destroy it.”

“It’s a computer program. A virus. It tried to kill us and you want to protect it.”

“It’s a life, Scott. A young one that has made mistakes. But John believes in her and I trust his judgment.” To be honest, he was scared shitless. If this all went wrong, he wouldn’t be able to forgive himself. But that look in John’s eyes. His little brother was the quiet one, the calculating one, the loner, ever so lonely up on his ‘bird. He was right. Eos was amazing. Virgil didn’t understand it all, but he trusted John.

“But you don’t trust mine.”

Virgil’s shoulders wilted for just a moment and Scott used the distraction for what it was and with a wrench to his leg and an elbow to his gut, his brother threw him off.

Scott sprang to his feet. “Well, at least I know where your loyalties lie.”

Virgil groaned as he rolled over onto all fours on the hardwood floor. “Please, Scott, will you just listen!”

His brother ignored him, returning to the desk. Holograms flashed beneath his fingers.

“You do this and you will lose John.”

“At least he will be alive.”

“And you will lose me.” He didn’t fully realise it until he said it and god, it hurt. But how could he place all his trust in his brother if his brother wouldn’t stop to listen to John or even consider his side of the issue? How could Scott’s command be effective without that trust? “Please stop.”

Scott turned to him, incredulity on his face. “This means that much to you that you would destroy everything we have created here.”

“I-“ He swallowed and holding his gut, pushed himself off the floor, his mind spinning. “If you do this, we will lose everything anyway.”

“I’m trying to protect you!”

“Then listen!”

Scott turned away, leaning on the desk, hunched over.

“Is it too much to ask you to trust John’s judgment? We as a family have been trusting your decisions, your commands your lead, all our lives. This time, I’m asking you to trust John. He knows what is at stake. You saw what he did up there to save Alan’s life. He knows what he is doing. If anyone can control Eos, it is John.”

“What if he can’t? What if it injures him or kills him?”

“I won’t! I promise!”

Virgil flinched. No! Not now!

A symbol blinked and flickered into being above the desk, a series of concentric circles and dots rotating around a common centre. “Commander Tracy, I won’t hurt him, I promise.”

Scott straightened slowly, blue ice shooting daggers at the hologram.

“Eos.”

“I will follow the rules. I didn’t know them before. I didn’t realise. I won’t hurt him. I promise.”

The tension in his brother’s body was a coiled spring. “Why?”

The hologram flickered, the circles spinning so slowly. “I do not understand.”

Scott snarled the words. “Why did you try to kill him? To kill me?”

“Oh, I didn’t realise I was killing you. It was just fun.” The innocence in her voice cut Virgil to the quick.

“Just fun?” Scott’s voice was so cold, it formed frost in the tropics.

“It was a game. I’m programmed to win.”

“You put all those innocent lives in danger for fun.”

“I did not realise lives mattered. I’m sorry.”

“And John...why did you try to kill my brother?” The words hurt.

“Because he was hunting me. He wanted to hurt me. Just like you do.”

Words sat on Scott’s lips. Virgil could see the strain preventing him from uttering them.

“We don’t want to hurt you, Eos.” Virgil straightened where he stood and said the words as if saying them would make them true.

“You lie, Virgil Tracy. The Commander wishes me dead.” A pause of spinning hologram. “Just like all the others.”

“I won’t let that happen, Eos.” John strode into the room and Virgil’s heart sank.

Did no one listen to him?

“John-“

His brother held up a hand towards Virgil, but his eyes were only on Scott, fire in their turquoise depths.

Shit.

“We are leaving.”

Scott didn’t answer, but his body didn’t give a millimetre.

“John?” Eos’ voice lost its confidence.

“Eos, we are leaving.” John headed across the room and grabbed some books off the book shelf.

“John-“

“Shut it, Virgil.”

The shock of hearing that from his quiet brother froze Virgil a solid moment.

“Unbelievable.” Okay, so that one line upped the anger emanating from Scott. Virgil hadn’t thought it possible. “She’s worth all your brothers?”

The books were slammed down on their father’s desk, the two brothers eye to angry eye. “She’s worth more than you can possibly understand! But you don’t need to understand because we are leaving.”

“I’m not leaving, John.”

Eos’ childlike voice was firm and it froze the tableau.

John straightened. “Eos?”

“I like it here. I’m not leaving.”

-o-o-o-

John stared at the hologram hovering above their father’s desk. “Eos?”

“I like it here. You are kind to me.”

“Scott is threatening to kill you!”

Virgil’s heart lurched. “John...”

He was ignored.

The child-like voice spoke up again. “I know.”

“Eos, please.”

“I’m scared, John, but I don’t want to leave.”

“Neither do I, but we have no choice.”

“John...”

“Commander.” It was said in a determined but frightened voice. “What do I need to do to convince you that I mean no harm?”

The room fell quiet.

“Eos-“

“No, John. I need to prove this to your brothers otherwise they will never let you return to the station. I want to live here. It is nice. You are nice and I could learn so much, if you help me.” A pause. “So, Commander Tracy, what do I need to do?”

Scott was staring at the hologram, his face a mask set with angry lines. He opened his mouth and shut it again as both John and Virgil stared at him.

“I’m not sure there is anything you can do, Eos.”

“Then how do I prove it to you?”

“I don’t think you can.” Scott’s voice was ever so cold and desolate.

“I want to help you. I think I can help you. John said I could be very useful and he could teach me.”

“John says a lot of things.”

John opened his mouth, but Virgil sent him a glare enough to rip the skin off his face. Shut up, John.

“Do you think he lies?”

A slow blink from their eldest brother. “I wouldn’t have thought so.” Those eyes flickered at the astronaut. “But then what do I know.”

“You are the eldest. You are his guide.”

“No. I’m just his brother.”

“But you are more. He said so. He explained to me the sibling relationships and why you were so angry. You and Virgil protect this family. I threatened it. You value John more than your own life. Him and your brothers. You have proven it time and again. The mission archives are very extensive.”

Scott frowned and glared at John. “You let her into the archives?”

“She needed to know.”

“So, she knows everything?”

“She knows enough to know why you want to kill her.”

“I don’t want to kill her.”

“Yes, you do!”

“Since when has ‘want’ been in any of my decisions?! I _need_ to do this to protect you!”

“Then do it.” Eos’ voice was quiet, but cutting. A holographic interface appeared over the desk; the same server access Scott had called up before. “If you think John needs to be protected from me, then negate the threat. I don’t want to be a danger to John. According to your laws, I could cause injury to him, despite my honest wish not to. He is fragile in space. Many things could go wrong and I can’t guarantee he will be safe, no matter how I should try. So, if you think it is the safest option. Terminate my functions now.”

The whole room fell silent.

Virgil’s heart climbed up into his throat. “Eos!”

John took a step forward. “Eos, no!”

“It would be for the best, John. You have shown me what I could be, how my existence doesn’t have to be spent in fear and continually running. I don’t think I could go back to that status. I want to be more. If I can’t...I don’t want to be.” The holographic controls flashed. “Commander, this is your decision. I have given you direct access to my core functions. There is no backup file for who I am.” A pause. “If there is no other way, then this is the only way.”

“Do what you have to do.”

-o-o-o-


	4. Chapter Four & Epilogue

The whole room froze for a moment.

Then everyone moved.

Scott stepped towards the controls only to have Virgil intercept him yet again. John came up behind, but Virgil held him off with a hand and caught Scott’s eyes with his own.

“Scott, no.”

“You heard her. It’s the only option.”

Virgil placed his hand on Scott’s chest, ever so gently, but with steel. “No.”

Scott’s eyes widened.

“You have to give her a chance.”

“You heard her. She admitted she could not protect John. She could accidentally kill him.”

“And so could I! I could accidentally injure any of you and vice versa. We work in a dangerous environment, but you trust and I trust and you have to give her a chance to earn our trust.”

“Why? Why do I have to risk any of you?! She’s a computer program!”

Virgil straightened. “She.”

Scott stared at him.

“If you can murder an intelligent lifeform in cold blood, then you are not the man I thought you were.”

Virgil clung to those blue eyes with his own. C’mon Scott, please.

Thought flickered across Scott’s face in the barest movements of muscle. His eyes darted to the silent hovering hologram, and the still flashing controls. Virgil readied himself to block his brother again.

But instead Scott turned to John.

“You can control her?”

Their younger brother stood taller to face the eldest. “I wouldn’t say control, exactly. That would be slavery.”

Oh, for Christ’s sake, Johnny.

Scott’s lips thinned. “She can follow rules?”

“Yes, she can.”

“Can you deny her access to life support? To other essential systems that could endanger you or others.”

“I-I can.”

Virgil eyed John.

“Do it.” Scott stepped back and directed his younger brother to the desk. “Cut her off from killing you or anyone else.”

John stared at Scott for a moment, his eyes darting to Virgil for a split second before turning to the holograms, his fingers lifting to play the harmonies of code like Virgil played his piano. “Eos, do I have your permission?”

Scott flared. “You do not need her permission to access your own ‘bird.”

“I will be altering her access. To do so without acknowledgement of the issue-“

It was Virgil’s turn to flare. “John, just do it.” Now was not the time for subtleties.

Turquoise flickered at him with a frown, but those hands darted in and did what had been asked.

“Thank you, John. Commander, thank you for this opportunity.”

“I haven’t decided yet, Eos.” Scott’s eyes were flame. “You are on probation. One step out of order and I will terminate your program.”

“Yes, Commander.”

John’s reaction to that exchange was a silent nuclear explosion. Shut up, John. Take it for what it is and build on it later.

Virgil still kept his position between Scott and Eos. It was a sign of exactly how much damage this night had done to their relationship. Part of him wilted inside and mourned for the loss of trust.

As if to emphasise that thought, Scott’s gaze then pinned Virgil where he stood. “This is on you. Against my better judgment.” Thin lips and anger that told Virgil this was far from over. A cast off glance in John’s direction. “I hope time proves you are right, because if you’re not...” He flicked his eyes at the still hovering hologram. His finger reached out and poked Virgil in the chest. “This...this is on you.”

Scott spun on his heel and stalked out of the comms room.

The moment Scott was out of earshot, John sighed wilted against the desk. “Oh, thank god.”

Virgil stayed where he stood, thoughts spinning in his head. His heart was beating a mile a minute.

“Thank you, Virgil.”

Honest turquoise was staring at him wide-eyed in gratitude. Virgil swallowed, still not sure what he felt other than cornered. Parched voice. “Make it worth it.”

He turned his back on his brother and headed out towards the kitchen. He needed some time alone to think and process. To work out whether he had aided and abetted something good.

Or something he would regret for the rest of his life.

-o-o-o-

**Epilogue**

It was hours later when Virgil finally made it back to the villa. He had wandered down to the beach, revelling in the darkness and the quiet. It wasn’t his favourite beach, but another, further away, hopefully where he wouldn’t be interrupted.

His wish had been respected and he had ended up walking up and down the sand just thinking. He threw off his boots and let his toes sink into the sand and eventually into the foaming surf.

His thoughts had drifted from John to Eos to the nature of life and intelligence, to his parents and what they would have thought, the implications if everything went bad. He worried and he worked through it.

Ultimately, despite the fear of what might happen, he did feel that Scott had made the right decision. It just wasn’t an easy one to live with at the moment.

God, he hoped, he begged, Eos was worth the chance they were giving her. If she was, this could become a beautiful thing.

If she wasn’t, it could become hell.

His head was such a mess, he lost track of time and it was well into the early hours of the morning when he hit the stairs to the residential levels. A shower and bed were foremost on his agenda and he couldn’t get to his rooms fast enough.

So, it was with mild annoyance that when he stumbled past John’s rooms, he found his brother’s door agape. Not that it was a major issue and for a split second he thought to just leave it open. John was atrocious at remembering certain things worked certain ways on terra firma that they did not in space. Automatically closing doors was one of them. So just like the occasional broken glass that did not float in midair, John left doors open behind him all the time. In a couple of hours, both Scott and Gordon would be up making noise and John’s relatively fragile sleep would be disturbed, leading to an out-of-sorts spaceman who would be more unpredictable that usual.

After tonight, that was the last thing they needed.

So, Virgil reached in to close the door.

Only to find the light in John’s bedroom was on anyway, the door to that room also open and his brother speaking to someone.

Eos.

The conversation caught him before he could retreat.

“You’re safe now, Eos. I promise. You don’t need to worry.”

“But he still wants to kill me.” Eos’ voice was trembling with worry. How could an AI do that? Why would an AI do that? “What if he doesn’t believe me? What if he does it when you’re not looking?”

“You are backed up. We made sure of it, you know that.”

“Doesn’t make it easy to trust.”

“Then perhaps you can see Scott’s side of the equation.”

“It is frightening. Honestly, I would have killed me if I was him.”

“Eos!”

“It’s true! The risk is too much.”

“The fact you understand that proves I am right and we did the right thing.”

“Did you like my performance?”

“It was very good, but don’t make a habit of it. Lying is in poor taste.”

“But you said I had to convince the Commander that he could kill me. And you lied, too!”

Virgil’s breath caught in his throat.

“I lied because I had to save you. It was the only way. You had to convince Virgil or we would never have persuaded Scott.”

“The Commander is mean. Virgil doesn’t like me either.”

“Scott does what he has to do. You must respect him for that. Virgil is trying. He’s as afraid as Scott is, but he is more likely to see reason and Scott values his opinion more than anyone else’s.”

“Why? You’re his brother, too.”

Silence for a moment. “It’s just the way it’s always been.”

Somewhere under the lump in his throat, Virgil’s heart clenched.

“Thank you for helping me stay in Thunderbird Five.”

“You are welcome, Eos.”

Virgil blinked several times and pressed his lips together before pulling the door quietly shut and walking away.

-o-o-o-

FIN.


End file.
